Gannon University

What Gannon University does

Gannon University is a private Catholic university headquartered at 109 University Square in Erie, Pennsylvania, with a second campus at 105 Commercial Center Drive in Ruskin, Florida. Founded in 1925, the institution serves approximately 5,500 students across associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and certificate programs organized into three colleges: the College of Engineering and Business, the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, and the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences. Following its 2026 assumption of sole-member status in the Ursuline College Corporation, Gannon operates campuses across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida with approximately 1,300 employees.

The university's core offerings include undergraduate programs spanning engineering (Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Engineering), computing (Cybersecurity), communications (Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media), and the performing arts (Acting BFA), as well as graduate health-professions programs at the Ruskin, FL campus (Occupational Therapy Doctorate, Speech-Language Pathology MS, and Doctor of Physical Therapy). The university operates online and distance-learning channels in parallel to its physical campuses. A notable technology and research asset is the Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge (I-HACK), which incorporates biomedical laboratories built through a $6.5 million project in partnership with First Ascent Biomedical, AHN Saint Vincent Hospital, and Allegheny Health Network, including a 3,000-square-foot CLIA-approved laboratory designed to process up to 20,000 patients annually for cancer research.

Gannon generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees, housing and dining contracts, and auxiliary service fees (including financial aid where over 95% of students qualify for assistance), supplemented by grants and philanthropic giving. Distribution occurs through campus-based instruction in Erie and Ruskin, online programs, and commencement ceremonies. Additional revenue streams include Recreation and Wellness Center services such as personal training packages priced from $15 to $360. Beyond academics, the institution fields NCAA Division II athletic programs — its men's basketball team won the 2026 NCAA Division II national championship — and maintains a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, over 100 student clubs, and an alumni network of more than 40,000.

Name

Gannon University

Legal name

Gannon University

Website

https://gannon.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Gannon University is a private Catholic university founded in 1925 in Erie, Pennsylvania, serving approximately 5,500 students across associate through doctoral programs on campuses in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio, with graduate health-professions and applied biomedical research at its I-HACK institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHABAJ

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

SECONDARYEDAHABAA

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate health professions
• Catholic university education
• Biomedical research facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from tuition charges for undergraduate and graduate programs, including course fees.
2. Housing and Dining: Revenue from student housing (residence halls and apartments) and meal plans (Beyer Cafeteria, Doc's Landing food court).
3. Financial Aid and Scholarships: Over 95% of students qualify for financial aid. Archdiocese-funded scholarships such as the Archbishop Gannon Scholars Program provide support to Erie Public Schools students.
4. Personal Training Services: Recreation and Wellness Center offers personal training packages to students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gannon University is a private Catholic university offering associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and certificate programs across three colleges: the College of Engineering and Business, the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, and the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences. Instruction is delivered through the Erie, Pennsylvania campus, the Ruskin, Florida campus (focused on health professions), and online/distance programs, supplemented by research and clinical facilities such as the Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge (I-HACK).

Product overview

Gannon University offers a portfolio of undergraduate and graduate academic programs across three colleges: College of Engineering and Business, College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, and Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences. The university's main campus is in Erie, Pennsylvania with a second location in Ruskin, Florida and online/distance education options. Featured undergraduate programs include Acting (BFA), Public Relations/Advertising/Social Media (BA), Environmental Engineering (BS), Biomedical Engineering, and Cybersecurity. Graduate programs at the Ruskin campus include Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD), Speech-Language Pathology (MS), and Physical Therapy (DPT). Beyond academics, the university provides campus facilities including the Recreation and Wellness Center with fitness, aquatic, and sports facilities. The institution operates as a Catholic university with approximately 5,500 students across its locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• I-HACK (Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge): A collaborative research institute focused on biomedical research, cancer research, and addressing regional healthcare workforce shortages.

Products and services

• Acting (Bachelor of Fine Arts) A Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Acting preparing students for performance careers on Broadway, in Hollywood, or beyond; targeted at prospective undergraduate students seeking performing arts training.
• Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media (Bachelor of Arts) A Bachelor of Arts program preparing students for careers in storytelling, audience engagement, and communications management across PR, advertising, and social media platforms.
• Environmental Engineering (Bachelor of Science) A Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering providing practical experience and outdoor classroom learning for designing environmental solutions and sustainable systems.
• Biomedical Engineering (Bachelor of Science) An undergraduate Biomedical Engineering program focused on designing medical devices, prosthetics, and biomaterials in advanced labs from day one.
• Cybersecurity (Bachelor of Science) A Cybersecurity program preparing students to defend against digital threats and protect data intelligence in fast-paced cybersecurity environments.
• Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) A three-year Occupational Therapy Doctorate offering in-depth study and clinical experiences with clients who have limited capacity to perform everyday activities; offered at the Ruskin, FL campus.
• Speech-Language Pathology (Master of Science) A Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology with collaborative, experiential, and integrative study preparing students for the highest standards of practice, with a strong multicultural component; offered at Ruskin, FL.
• Physical Therapy (Doctor of Physical Therapy) A three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy program preparing students to be autonomous generalist practitioners capable of providing direct access care for movement, function, and health; offered at Ruskin, FL.
• Recreation and Wellness Center Facilities (with Personal Training Services) Comprehensive fitness facilities including strength area, cardio floor, gymnasium, indoor track, field house, pool, fitness studios, racquetball courts, and locker rooms, plus personal training packages priced per session tier (30- and 60-minute sessions; Gannon and non-Gannon rates).

Quantifiable outcome

• Gannon won the 2026 NCAA Division II men's basketball national championship with a 33-3 record
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of TampacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Tampa has partnered with Gannon University to offer eligible UT graduates direct pathways to graduate level health profession programs offered at Gannon's location in Ruskin, FL. UT students who meet admission requirements including graduating with a bachelor of science in allied health in the last three years receive preferential consideration for entry into Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Physical Therapy programs.
• First Ascent BiomedicalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Ascent Biomedical is a key partner in the I-HACK (Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge) biomedical research project. Their expansion includes a 3,000-square-foot CLIA-approved laboratory to process up to 20,000 patients annually and create 38 jobs immediately, with growth projected to exceed 100 jobs within five years.
• AHN Saint Vincent HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHN Saint Vincent Hospital is collaborating with Gannon University, First Ascent Biomedical, and Allegheny Health Network on the I-HACK biomedical research project designed to expand cancer research and address a regional workforce shortage.
• Allegheny Health NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllegheny Health Network is part of the collaborative I-HACK project with Gannon University, First Ascent Biomedical, and AHN Saint Vincent Hospital to establish biomedical laboratories for cancer research and workforce development.
• LECOM (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLECOM Orthopedic and Sports Medicine are the official team physicians for Gannon Sport Clubs. LECOM Health physicians including Dr. Adam Susmarski, Dr. Christine Lomiguen, Dr. Christopher Rial, and Dr. Joshua Tuck provide sports medicine care to Gannon athletes.
• Ursuline CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGannon University has replaced the Ursuline Sister of Cleveland as the sole member of the Ursuline College Corporation, assuming critical leadership role for the Pepper Pike, Ohio college. The merger will create an institution with about 5,500 students, 1,300 employees and campuses in three states - Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, becoming the largest Catholic university system in the region.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Edinboro University of Pennsylvania: Public Pennsylvania regional university in nearby Edinboro serving overlapping student demographics in northwestern PA, offering similar undergraduate breadth at lower cost — a meaningful substitute for price-sensitive Erie-region applicants.

Direct peers

• Walsh University: Private Catholic university in North Canton, Ohio with similar program breadth including nursing and health-professions tracks, comparable tuition-discount dynamics, and overlapping regional Catholic-recruitment infrastructure.
• Ursuline College: Pepper Pike, Ohio-based Catholic women's college whose corporation Gannon now controls; serves overlapping women's-leadership and health-professions niches and overlaps on faith-based Catholic identity programming.
• Point Park University: Private, urban-anchored Catholic-affiliated university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with overlapping programs in performing arts (notably the Conservatory of Performing Arts), communications, and business — comparable scale and demographic targeting.
• Mercyhurst University: Private Catholic university also based in Erie, Pennsylvania, with comparable undergraduate/graduate portfolio and direct overlap for in-region recruitment. Closest direct peer given shared city, faith tradition, and similar scale.
• St. Bonaventure University: Private Franciscan Catholic university in western New York with comparable enrollment scale, NCAA Division I athletics, and a faith-based liberal-arts and professional program mix that competes for similar regional applicants.
• Niagara University: Vincentian Catholic university in Lewiston, New York with a similar private-Catholic positioning, NCAA Division I athletics-driven enrollment funnel, and overlapping programs in business, education, and nursing.
• Mount Mercy University: Catholic, Mercy-sponsored university in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with comparable scale, faith-based mission, and a comparable mix of health sciences, education, and business — serving as a useful structural peer for enrollment and pricing analytics.

Broad incumbents

• Penn State Behrend: Regional public research/undergraduate campus of Penn State located in Erie, directly competing for the same northwestern Pennsylvania students across business, engineering, and sciences, with stronger brand and lower sticker price.
• University of Tampa: Mid-sized private university directly feeding students into Gannon's Ruskin health-professions programs; broader-scope Florida-region incumbent with strong nursing and pre-health pipeline relevant to Gannon's OT/PT/SLP partnership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gannonu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/gannonuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/37618347960
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gannon-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/gannonu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gannon University